Introduction
Nurturing creativity within the workplace can do wonders for a company’s overall culture. By promoting an atmosphere that inspires and engages employees, businesses can enjoy both increased profitability and a more alluring brand image. And here’s a little secret: Employee-Created Content (ECC) may just be the marketing solution you’ve been seeking. As your brand’s most passionate and knowledgeable advocates, your employees possess valuable, firsthand insights that can be shared with the world. When given the proper tools and resources, they can generate and distribute ECC that outperforms traditional SEO tactics in terms of engagement and impact. Not only does this approach empower your team members, but it can also attract top-tier talent to your company and boost your bottom line.
Businesses that engage their employees via ECC are building their brand from the inside out. Creating and sharing content aligns employees with the vision of the company they’re working for. Employees often develop their own ‘personal brand’ which can be used to strengthen the company’s image. It’s no longer just a ‘job’, employees feel empowered as brand ambassadors and mutually benefit from the company’s success.
So how can employers get started?
- Leverage mobile app technology.
- Introduce collaborative workshops reinforcing how to utilise the tools available to their fullest potential.
- Outline initial guidelines so your team understands how to engage with their audience through your brand.
- Highlight the successes of employees via social media and give incentives.
- Ensure employees’ social media profiles have appropriate branding, links to your business and descriptions available.
- Give opportunities for professional and personal growth.
- Encourage professional networking
- Share employee driven initiatives regularly throughout the company.
By tapping into their biggest asset – employees, companies are making their wisest investment yet. Not only are they reaching a broader audience (ECC is shared 24x more than a branded post), they’re creating brand awareness, improving company culture and ensuring their team is recognised for their contributions. This is reflected in recent statistics that show companies who blog generate 67% more leads every month than those who do not, while 68% of mobile users are now engaging with brands via apps.
As employees feel more empowered by ECC, employee retention is significantly increased and top talent is attracted via their storytelling on social media. An enviable company culture and an engaged team has led to businesses activating their brand from the inside-out. 89% of consumers are shown to be loyal to brands who share their values and ECC is a perfect means to showcase these while generating higher earned media value than sponsored content.
Businesses can invest in their company culture by leveraging technology that guides employees on ECC practices to help them get the most out of the content they produce. As technology has proven, a company is only as dynamic as its employees.
